The bidding situation on thei Palladini hubs is quite humorous. The seller is Australian and has listed the hub on US ebay. Up until now, all he bidders are themselves Australian.
Check out the auction:
http://ebay.com/
This is very similar to the hub that I brought to le cirque a couple years ago. This one doesn't appear to be quite as refined as the one that I have but it is nonetheless a neat find.
I know that I have a copy of a Palladini sales brochure that states that they were built from teh late 40's onward. If a list-member does end up purchasing the hub, I will make a concerted effort to find the brochure. The fact that the freewheel remains fixed to the drop-out when you remove the wheel means that you can readily replace broken spokes without the hassle of needing a freewheel remover. It is also very nice when you have a chaincase on your bike.
Steven Maasland
Moorestown, NJ